2 minute read
The Many Advantages of a Performance-Based Music Education Program
by Expert Contributors Dave Marsh and Rik Alison of School of Rock Main Line
Many adults, young and old, who took music lessons as a kid say they lost interest because their teacher wasn’t engaging or wasn’t working on the material they were interested in. All those same people also typically say they wished they had continued with their music studies. If they had had the opportunity to get one-on-one private instruction and also work in a group setting to put on a show every three months, it’s very likely that most of those same people who complained about their music lessons would still be playing music today.
There are many advantages to a performance-based music education program as compared to traditional teacher-student music instruction. In performance-based programs, students not only receive a private lesson every week, they also work as a team to put on a show. They learn self-confidence, music theory and performance techniques by learning and performing actual songs instead of playing scales and exercises. And they learn stagecraft by playing real rock shows for live audiences.
One of the benefits of this team-based approach is that it closely mirrors the social benefits of many team sports. The participants join a “show,” which serves as the team, and they work together towards the final goal of putting on a rock show. Because no one wants to be the person who lets the team down, they are more likely to be prepared for rehearsals. This positive peer pressure helps motivate students, and it’s a crucial success component of these programs.
An often-overlooked attribute of performance-based programs is that students learn self-confidence by accomplishing the goals they set for themselves. They realize that they can achieve things that they never thought possible. When you can play a guitar solo live in front of 250 people, giving a presentation in front of your History class is easy.
The most important benefit of these performance-based music programs is that they dramatically accelerate the students’ learning curve. The consistent deadlines of the approaching shows, the teamwork, and positive peer pressure motivate the students to attain proficiency levels that they didn’t think possible.
All things considered, performance-based music education not only offers a comprehensive path to becoming a musician, it also teaches life skills that students can use for a lifetime.
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